Lake Harding
Harris County, Georgia5,850 acresView mapDirections
Georgia EPD publishes the water-quality measurements for Lake Harding. Here is what has been measured.
- Mesotrophic
- Public access
Lake Harding in Harris County, Georgia has water-quality measurements published by Georgia EPD, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 6 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 20 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 5 µg/L. Surface area: 5850 acres.
Lake Harding is a 5,850-acre mesotrophic lake in Harris County, Georgia. Limited fish-species data available. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing. Compared to the 3 other monitored lakes in Harris County, Lake Harding ranks #4 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Georgia EPD, last sampled 2026-03-03. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
At about 5,900 acres, Lake Harding is large enough that where you stay decides which shore you see most of. It has one public boat landing. For a place on the water, look through cabin and lake-house rentals near Lake Harding on Vrbo. For a hotel or motel room, Booking.com and Expedia both search around the lake.
What Lake Harding is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Boat launch1 documented ramp
- Big water5,850 acres
Swimming conditions
Readings onlyModerate algae
Based on clarity and algae readings from past sampling — there is no live water temperature and a current cyanobacteria reading for this lake. Check your state or county health department before you swim.
Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Lake Harding is safe to swim in today is a call for the Georgia Environmental Protection Division and the county health department, who post current advisories. LakeQuality does not issue swimming clearances.
Water quality measurements for Lake Harding
These are the measurements Georgia EPD publishes for Lake Harding, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.
Murky, only visible to about 6 ft. Phosphorus 20 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 5 µg/L. TSI 48.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 6ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | 20µg/L | Fair GoodFairPoor |
| Chlorophyll-a (algae) | 5µg/L | Good GoodFairPoor |
| Trophic state (TSI)Carlson's 0–100 index of how much algae a lake can support, from clarity, phosphorus and chlorophyll-a. | 48 | Mesotrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Ask about Lake Harding
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Lake Details
Surface area
5,850 acres
Public access
Yes
Listed by Georgia EPD
No bathymetric survey has been published for Lake Harding, so its depth is not documented here.
Recreation & Access
- Idle Hour ParkPublic
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Stays via Stay22
Stays near Lake Harding
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Lake Harding in Harris County, Georgia — live availability and prices for your trip. Switch the map to Satellite to see the lake and how close each stay is to the water.
Top-rated places to stay near Lake Harding
Prices for Oct 30–Nov 1, 4 adults. Change dates on the map below.
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Fishing Lake Harding
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Lake Harding is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Bartletts Ferry, Main Dam (completed 1926), built primarily for hydroelectric on the Chattahoochee; gravity-type dam, 150 ft tall and 3,786 ft long.
- Surface area
- 5,850 ac
- Normal storage
- 183,000 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 183,000 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 4,260 sq mi
- Hazard class
- High
- Owner
- Georgia Power Company
All listed purposes: Hydroelectric;Recreation.
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID GA00830 · Operator website
Nearby Lakes in Harris County
Frequently asked questions about Lake Harding
Where is Lake Harding?
- Lake Harding is a lake in Harris County, Georgia. Its water-quality measurements are published by Georgia EPD and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Lake Harding?
- Lake Harding in Harris County, Georgia has water-quality measurements published by Georgia EPD, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 6 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 20 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 5 µg/L. Surface area: 5850 acres.
Is Lake Harding safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
Are there boat ramps on Lake Harding?
- Lake Harding has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Idle Hour Park. Public access is listed as yes.
Can I fish at Lake Harding?
- Lake Harding has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Seasons, size and bag limits, and whether you need a license are set by Georgia's fish and wildlife agency, so check its current regulations before you go.
Explore Lake Harding across LakeQuality
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Mesotrophic Lakes in Georgia
Where this data comes from
407 measurements from 2 monitoring stations, 2012–2026. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Georgia DNR Environmental Protection Division
21GAEPD_WQX407 samples · 2012–2026
Analytical methods
- Phosphorus by Colorimetry
- 445.0 ~ EPA; Chlorophyll and Pheophytin in Algae by Fluorescence
- Turbidity by Nephelometry
Monitoring station identifiers (2)
EPA condition classes from the National Lakes Assessment (EPA 841-R-24-006, Table 6-3), applied by ecoregion. See where the data comes from and data sources.
Other records on this page
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory